Magic: The Gathering Video Game Crossovers Continue with Stardew Valley, Could Zelda Be Next?

It's been a busy week for Magic: The Gathering.

Following the first reveal of the upcoming Star Trek set, we're due to hear about the game's plans for 2027 at MagicCon Amsterdam, which will likely feature a mix of in-universe and Universes Beyond sets.

Before those announcements begin, though, several upcoming Secret Lairs are being announced on social media. Some of them, such as "A Perfectly Normal Superdrop," feature a mix of random recently used themes, notably Marvel's Superheroes, though we're getting the Lofi Girl on a copy of Careful Study. An upcoming Masters of the Universe Secret Lair was also teased for release later this year.

There's also an upcoming Hobbit Secret Lair arriving on August 14th, the same day as the full set releases in stores. Before that, though, Universes Beyond is dipping its toes back into the realm of video games.

Three Stardew Valley Secret Lairs Are Releasing July 27th

As announced on Bluesky, we're getting three separate Secret Lair Superdrops for Stardew Valley on July 27th.

Titled "Moonlight Jellies," each Stardew Valley Secret Lair will feature a distinct art style for each Superdrop, including one having an asthetic that matches the in-game visuals. Wizards of the Coast confirmed that ConcernedApe helped the team design all three drops.

The collection of cards, some of which have been renamed to fit the in-universe theme for Stardew Valley, will also feature a brand new land card aptly named Stardew Valley.

Here's what it will do:

• Tap to add 1 colorless Mana.
• Pay 2, Tap: Tap an untapped creature you control: Create a food token
• Pay 3, Tap: Choose target permanent you control: Draw a card, then another player of your choice may gain control of that permanent. Activate only as sorcery.

Despite a vocal crowd recently expressing their frustrations with the constant churn of Universes Beyond in Magic, people seem pleased with the Stardew Valley Superdrop. It's most likely due to the fact that 1) everyone loves Stardew Valley, 2) ConcernedApe is actually collaborating with Wizards on these, and 3) a solid selection of reprints is coming from these.

However, it's important to note that this was one of several Secret Lair announcements today, and I doubt it'll be the last. It paints a troubling, ongoing picture for the future of Magic in the eyes of longtime veterans like me.

Following Hasbro's Legend of Zelda Collaboration, It's Just a Matter of Time Before We See Zelda Magic Cards, Right?

Yesterday, news came that Nintendo and Hasbro have entered a multi-year licensing partnership for The Legend of Zelda franchise, beginning in 2027.

This is relevant because Hasbro is the parent company of Wizards of the Coast, the team that makes Magic: The Gathering. If there's one thing that has remained constant under Hasbro's leadership, it's that we're getting more and more Universes Beyond collaborations in Magic.

With Hasbro and Nintendo officially working together, I can't help but wonder if it's when, not if, for Nintendo releases. It's not like this is uncharted territory for Magic; we've already seen a PlayStation-themed Secret Lair. We've also seen SpongeBob, Furby, Garfield, and will see Hatsune Miku as a Commander Deck on August 10th. We're no longer at a point where these are weird or out of place; they're the norm, a far cry from the off-putting Walking Dead or Stranger Things cards that confused players when this all first began.

Mark Rosewater, head designer for Magic, recently hinted that under 10% of all Magic players dislike Universes Beyond. It's clear that Wizards views Universes Beyond as massively popular. If that's the case, why would we stop? It's safe to say I'm a long way away from buying old packs of Mirage or Tempest in a CD store (shout out to Strawberries and Newbury Comics in the Boston area), and it doesn't feel like we'll ever return to those days.